Help with Music Plans

College Majors Music Major
1

Hello,
I am a senior who has struggled deciding on a major, but I have finally decided on music. I play guitar and bass clarinet, and I know a little bit of keyboard instruments. I have played guitar for 6 years and can play reasonably well (I can play some Chet Atkins pieces and can read classical guitar music, although I am not familiar with classical guitar method). I have also played guitar in various ensembles, including jazz band and full concert band. Fingerstyle guitar (such as Tommy Emmanuel/Chet Atkins) is what I am interested in. Would majoring in classical guitar help me explore this area? If not, what should I major in? Would lack of familiarity with proper classical technique hinder me if I pursue this?
Another interest of mine is composition. How long would it take to assemble a portfolio? I realize I am coming into this process late, but I’d like to know my options. I have no full pieces and the parts I do have aren’t fantastic. If I start in guitar, would I be able to switch to composition once I gain more theory knowledge (my school does not offer music theory)? What level should a portfolio be on for a good, but not excellent school? What are some schools that would be good for someone who is interested in composition, but is a much better player than writer?

Can you tell me some good schools between average state schools and amazing programs like Julliard that have a strong guitar program?

Thank you for reading some of my many questions. Any information you can provide is much appreciated!

2

I forgot to state that I have a 4.0 UW GPA and a 29 ACT, so my academics are fairly good.

3

Do you think you might prefer a guitar program that is not classical? There are many ways to pursue your interest in fingerstyle guitar. First, do you have a teacher or are you self-taught? You could study privately and major in almost anything you like, including music, for a BA non-performance for instance. Often lessons and ensembles are available for students who are not doing a performance degree and even students not majoring in music, at many schools.

If you want a music school, there are programs more geared to classical, jazz, or “contemporary” (rock/pop etc.). People can suggest schools for all of these. Taking a guess on what you might like, popular music schools include Berklee, Belmont, Miami Frost- and there are many others. Not sure what state you are in. CSU Long Beach might be worth a look. UMass Lowell has a guitar program I believe. Look at Hartt at U. of Hartford. Ithaca, Oberlin. SUNY Purchase or other NY schools. Possibly a school like Bennington, a small artsy liberal arts college in Vermont that has had a good guitar teacher for years (classical) and lets you focus on more than one thing at a time as a concentration.

As for composition, honestly, some people have a few years of work to submit in a portfolio and I don’t think it would be possible to just come up with 3 or 4 works before December 1st let alone get them played (most schools want some live performances). So your idea of going to school and then transitioning to composition is a good one. What type of composition are you interested in?

It sounds to me that you can just apply to a school you like for all the usual reasons, size, location, academics, “vibe”, cost (a big one!). For most, you would not have to audition of submit a portfolio for a BA application (though there are significant exceptions.)

Check out the music departments of course, especially course offerings. You can major in music, which will give you a grounding in theory and history, composition classes and other interesting areas of music study. OR you can major in something else if you decide, after sampling music classes, that you don’t want to major in music. You can probably decide after the first year. Music majors have a sequence of courses to take but if you sample in the first year, you will have time to switch in or out of the major.

In any case, you would be able to take lessons, continue to play or write, and play in ensembles at almost any school and doing almost any major. Keep working at your music and clarifying your goals and good luck!